US2470476A - Toy - Google Patents

Description

D. C. DOZIER May 17, 1949.

TOY

2 She'ets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1946 \LQQ May 17, 1949. D. c. DOZIER TOY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 15, 1946 Patented May 17, 1949 UNITED S TAT E S PAT ENT. OF FliC TOY Daniel C. Dozier, Norfolk; Vas' Application November 15, 1946;"SeriaINbI IIULU'IG 15 Claims. 1

The presentinventiow'relates to a childs mechanical toy, and moreparticularly'to a 1118'- chani-cal toy "of the kinematic type adapted to be actuated solelyby gravity and whereina simulated-animal"fingurepr other-object is caused to move backand forth alon-g'an inclined track by alternately tipping the latter into oppositely inclined positions.

The 'principal'objectof the invention is to provide a kinematicto of thetyp'e-described which may be easily'set-in operationby children and which will continue to operate in an engaging fashion over aneXteIfded-periodof time as compared with the brief-interval required to initiate such operation."

Another 'object o'f the invention is to provide a toy of the type described involving a relatively fewworking parts which may a be expeditiously and inexpensivelwproduc'ed almost entirely from metal stam'pings or the like and-Which is not likely to become-outcf order "underconclitions of strenuous usage; a

A further object of the invention is to providea kinematic =ty of thetype described which operates entirely bythe force of gravity after having once been set'in starting position and thus' -requires no eXterhal-power source for its practical operation so that-itmay be placed in the handset very small children with safety.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during thecourse of the following description.

In the drawings l have shownoneembcdiment of the invention-. In this showing:

Fig. 1 is a front' elevation-of the toy illustrating'successive positions "of certain of the parts in broken lines; I

Fig; 2 is an enlargecl fragmentar sectional view on 1me2-2 otliigrl;

Fig.8 is an'endview of the toy', a portion of the housing 'beingbroken away to illustrate the interiorconstruction; i

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail sectional view to an-enlarged scale of a portion of one of the vertical-supports taken substantially' along the line-IVIV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail i-perspective view to an enlarged scale of one of the crossheads and a fragment of the transverse rail constituting a part of the present invention and Fig. 6 is a'd'etail perspective View illustrating to anenlarged scale the 'movable'carriage and simulated animal figure carried 'thereby.

Referring to Figs: land '2', the device comprises an elongated base' lt Having a paircf upright 1:: supports 12 extendingsubstantially vertically upward adjacent-its opposite-ends and including a crdssbracefli extendingtransversely' -between said supports. Each of the' supports' I2 is provided with a generally tuiiulari housing i6, *having 'fianges I-B KFigiiZ'EQr) *adaptedto be secured in any eonven'ient mannen "to the outer' faces of the supports +25 Th *base- |fi,-supp0rts l2, and -cr0ssbrace-"l4 dons-amen "relatively 'fixed framework for -thetoy; prefer'ably'bein'gformed of light metaIstaIrinings-pr the-like and assembled E together "in any mam manner as, for example, by' i spot weliing. Alternatively, suitable threadeti dr other -s'in'rilazr connecting these members togetm-zr'- sothatthe toy-may be readily kiisriiantied "for storage or shipment, if desired.

Referring to was; 2 ":iTndB, it will-he noted that each of the supports l2 na'ctt'ial-ly formed of a pain- 0fliorizontally spaced stainpings 20 having their inner edges shaman-enema form a pair oi tracks 22 defining a g uidewa'y 2'4 E pen ing-into the- 'interior 'et the housing-re. "A pair of vertical racks: 26' eacn navmg I a plurality 1 of teeth 28 formed thereon-is su-Itab 'attached in any conveniene manner to tn members 20 at each s'id bf the rguumewaysa 21' Within the hintsings la I As Will -be particalarlw i n Flg X l, the

teeth: 28 of the pair or reeksize within eacn housing-' 1 6 ar'e substantially e've'nly' verticaliy spaced and a're staggered-wertieany to lie in different horizontal =i'elative to the respectrated-in greater "(Feta-ll in Fig i' 5'. :5 Each crosshead comprises-a pala e genaany rectangular plaltes-32 at oppesit 's'ides of similai 'p'air of spacerplates 34 and helii together in any "can venient inanner as bymeans -"of a' thr'ougn bolt 3'6 and. assoeiate d ii llt 3fli "It Will-- be tinted that the spacer elements 34 are of slightly greater widththan tnat of"tne 'traeks az so as to form cnannel snaped runners*between' the lates e2 adaptd te sllciami i'leiv the respective tiacks Each of the inner plates 32 is provided with a notch 48 in its top edge adapted to receive one end 42 of a beam 44, preferably formed as an inverted T-shaped rail. The lower edges of the ends 42 of the rail 44 are provided with enlarged notches 43 so that when the ends 42 are inserted within the notches 48 (Figure 4) the beam 44 will be loosely engaged with the crossheads 38.

The outer plate 32 of each of the crossheads 38 has edge portions turned outwardly to form lugs 48. A pivot pin 58 is connected between the lugs 48 of each pair and a lever 52 is pivotally supported thereby. Each lever carries a transverse latch bar 54 attached thereto in any convenient manner and extending laterally from the opposite sides thereof. Each lever 52 is bent inwardly at its bottom end to form an actuating arm 56 adapted to extend through one of the guideways 24 and having an inclined abutment 58 at its inner end adapted to actuate the latch bar 54 in a manner to be described. A counter-weight 51 is carried by the lower end of each latch bar to tend to swing it inwardly.

At the top of the supports I2 I have provided pulleys 68 rotatably mounted upon brackets 62 secured in any convenient manner to the top ends of the members as particularly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Flexible cables or lines 64 extend over the pulleys 68 and are attached at one end to weights 65 freely vertically movable within the housings IS. The lines 64 are secured at their opposite ends to the crossheads 38 by looped members 58 secured to the bolts 36. As indicated above, a crosshead 38 is provided in each of the guideways 24, the transverse beam 44 being loose ly engaged therewith. It will be apparent that the weights 66 are considerably heavier than the combined weights of the crossheads 30, the beam 44, and the carriage to be described below, and thus serve to continually urge the ends of the beam 44 upwardly.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 6, the carriage referred to above comprises a grooved wheel 10 in rolling contact with the upper edge of the rail 44 and freely movable therealong. A hanger 12 is rotatably mounted upon and depends from the axle ll of the wheel 18 and carries a counterbalance 14 at the end of a rod 16 attached to the hanger 12 in any suitable manner as by means of a rivet or screw 18. The hanger 12 extends downwardly at opposite sides of the rail 44 in such manner as to prevent the carriage from dropping in the event the wheel 10 should become disengaged from the rail 44. It should also be particularly noted that the counterbalance 14 as illustrated in Fig. 1 is positioned beneath the carriage in such manner as to engage the abutments 58 of the actuating arms '55 at the opposite limits of its travel along the rail 44 for a reason which will be explained.

A simulated animal figure 88 is supported by a pin 8|, oifset from the axle H. The pin 8| passes through a pair of ofiset arms 82, held in spaced relation by a collar 84, and extending to one side of and preferably integral with the hanger 12. In the present case the animal figure has been selected to represent a monkey which is retained in approximately upright position by connecting a depending tail portion 86 thereof with the rivet 18.

Another wheel 88 is rigidly secured to the axle H coaxial with the grooved wheel 10 for rotation with the latter. A pin 90 mounted eccentrically upon the outer face of the wheel 88 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 92 articulated as by means of a pivot pin 93 to another link 94 and the latter in turn is pivotally mounted at its opposite end upon the pivot pin 8|. It will thus be apparent that as the grooved wheel 10 rolls along the rail 44 the wheel 88 is also caused to rotate thus imparting an oscillatory motion to the articulated arms 32 and 94 to simulate a pedaling action by the animal figure 80.

The operation of the device is as follows:

With the various relatively fixed portions of the framework such as the base I0 and upright supports I2 in assembled condition, the carriage is placed upon the rail 44 with the grooved wheel '58 in contact with the latter, by inserting one end of the rail between the arms 72. The ends of the transverse rail 44 are then loosely engaged with the oppositely disposed crossheads 38 as shown in Figure 4. The toy is set in operation by manually grasping the rail 44 and moving it downwardly between the supports 12 and into the solid line position illustrated in Fig. 1. In this lowermost position the latch bars 54 are in engagement with the lowermost teeth 28 of the opposite racks 25 as shown, for example, in full lines in Fig. 4, thus retaining each of the crossheads as well as the rail 44 and its carriage in lowered position against the elevating tendency of the weights 66 which have been raised upwardly and which, due to their greater weight, tend to urge the movable crossheads and associated structure upwardly. By reason of the vertically staggered arrangement of the respective opposite teeth of the racks 26, the rail 44 will occupy an inclined position relative to the horizontal plane, being tilted downwardly and to the left in the solid line position in Figure 1.

With the parts in the set condition illustrated in Fig. 1, the carriage is now permitted to roll down the inclined rail 44 or from the right-hand side to the extreme left-hand position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Upon reaching the lefthand end of the rail 44, the counterbalance 14 strikes the abutment 58 causing the actuating arm 55 to move its associated rack bar 54 out of engagement with the teeth 28. During this operation, which is of only momentary duration, the lever 52 pivots momentarily about the pivot pin under the impact of the counterbalance 14 and almost immediately returns to a substantially vertical position.

This pivoting motion of the lever 52 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 however, is sufficient to disengage the latch bar 54 from one pair of the teeth 28 so that the left-hand crosshead 30 is free to move upwardly under the urging of its associated weight until the latch bar 54 engages that pair of teeth 28 next above. This upward movement of the crosshead 38 of course also carries the left-hand end of the rail 44 upwardly approximately the same distance so that the rail 44 is now inclined in an opposite direction or is tilted downwardly to the right. The carriage will then move to the right along the rail 44 until the counterbalance 74 engages the abutment '58 upon the actuating arm 56 depending from the righthand crosshead 38 at which time a sequence of operations identical to that just described will take place causing the right-hand crosshead to move upwardly thus tilting the rail 44 into a reversely inclined position similar to but above its original position.

The successive positions assumed by the rail 44 are illustrated schematically in Fig. l by the :inclined ,dottedxlines, the arrows showing :the;1direction of'movement ofthecarriage for each'zposition. It will be obvious that :as long as the weights 66 continue to urge the crossheads .3Gand rail at upwardly,xthe latter. will continue to move in step-by-step mannenthe carriage rolling back and forth along th rail to releasexthe endslof' the latter one at a time until the rail Aireacheszthe uppermost limit or its travel. As previously men- 2 tioned, the articulated membersQZ; Mrwill oscillate continuously during movement 'ofthe carriage back and forth across the rail M to may be readily assembled from a relatively-few simple parts and which derives its motive power entirely from the force of gravity. Although in the preferred embodiment which I have chosen for purposes of illustration I have disclosed a1: pair of toothed rack bars at opposite-sides of each of the guideways 24, it will be apparent that numerous equivalent mechanisms may-be substituted therefor and that the-positive tooth and latch bar engagement may even be elimi-l nated in favor of various knownfrictional "contact or other equivalentdevices. -In like manner, although I prefer to have the movable portions of the toy ascend during operation,'it will be apparent that by the provision of suitable reverse latch actuating mechanism the weights 5% could be eliminated and the movable elements permitted to descend under the action of, gravity during operation of the toy.

I claim:

1. A toy comprising a base, a pair of spaced upright supports at opposite endsv of. said base each including a pair of spacedwalls forming a vertical guideway, and a generally tubular housing, vertical racks within said housings having substantially evenly spaced teeth, the teeth of one rack being staggered vertically to lie in different horizontal planes than the teeth of the other rack, a pulley mounted adjacent the top of each housing and having a flexible line extending thereover, a weight attachedto. one iend of each of said lines for vertical movement within the associated housing, a crosshead attached to the other end of each line and including; a run-' ner slidably engaged inthe associated :guideway, a depending lever pivotally attachedcto; each cro-sshead and including a laterally extending latch bar at its lower end successively engageable with the associated teeth and an actuating v arm extending through the associated guideway,

an inverted T-shape rail loosely engaged with said crossheads and extending therebetween, a carriage including a grooved wheel in-rolling contact with said'rail, a simulated animalflgure on said carriage including articulated portions having mechanical connection with said, wheel, and a counterbalance depending from said carriage and alternately engageable with saidvactuating arms for disengaging said. latch bars from said teeth whereby saidweights alternately move the corresponding ends of said railupwardly to successively reversely inclined .positions to cause said carriage-to travel backi and forth along said rail between said supports.

2. A toy comprising a base,-'apair of spaced upright supports at opposite ends of said base each including a pair of spaced walls. forming a vertical guideway, and aigenerallytubular hous- 7 ing, vertical aracks'. within said; housingshaving" :substantially evenly spaced teeth; theiteeth of 10118 rack beingt staggered vertically to lie in- .difierent '-.i..ohorizontal.aplanes' than the teeth of :the other mrack, aapulley imountedcadjaoent: the top :of each rhousingciandl having a flexiblev line extending .iOthBY-JBIICI of each linewand including. a runner oslidablyx-engaged in the associated guideway; a .depending'lever pivotally attached to each crosszahead'andiincluding a laterally extending latch .ri at: its .lower end successively engageable with :the associated .teeth and an actuating arm exitendingrthroughlthe associated guideway, an inverted'sTFshape railloosely engagedwith said orcrossheads.andextending therebetween, a carriageoincluding algroovedwheel inrolling contact: with: said raiLand a counterbalance depend- ..ing'irom-saidcarriage and alternately engageiablenwithsaid-actuating arms for disengaging w said latch bars from said" teeth whereby said weights-alternately move the corresponding ends :-of saidrail upwardly tosuccessively reversely inclined positions to cause said carriage to travel -back and forth 'along said rail between said supports.

i 3 A -toy comprising a base, a pair ofspaced -uprightsupports atopposite ends ofsaid base each-including a pair. of spaced walls forming a vertical guideway; vertical racks adjacent said m-guidewayshaving substantially evenly spaced -teeth, theteeth of one rack being staggered verticallyt0- lie in di'fierent horizontal planes than lth'e'teeth of the other rack, acrosshead including arunner slidably engaged witheach guideway for-rciprocation therewithin, means urging said crossheads upwardly, a depending lever pivotally -attached to each crosshead including laterally *extendinglatch bars at its lower-end successively ---engageable*with-the associated teeth and an -=actuating arm extending through the associated 'guideway, an -inverted T-shape-rail loosely engaged with said-crossheads andextending there- --between, a carriage including a grooved wheel in --r0lling contact with said rail, and a counterbalance depending from said carriage and alternately engageablewith said actuating arms for disengaging said latch bars from said teeth =-whereby-saidrail will move upwardly to sue- -cessi-vely 'reversely inclined positions to cause saidcarriage to travel back and forth along said rail between said supports.

4.- A-toy'comprising a base, a pair of spaced -upright-supports at opposite ends of said .base

- eachincluding a'vertical guideway, vertical racks adjacent said "guideways having substantially evenly spaced teeth, the teeth of one rack being "staggeredvertically to lie'in different horizontal 'planesthan the teeth of the other rack, a crosshead mounted for reciprocation in each guideway, I imeans urging said crossheads upwardly, a depending lever pivotally attached to each cross- 5- head and-including laterally extending latch bars at its'lower end successively engageable with the teeth'oftheassociated rack and an-actuating arm 1 extending through the associated guideway, an inverted-*T-shape rail loosely engaged-with said crossheads and extending therebetween, a carriage including a grooved wheel in rolling contact w'ith said rail; and a counterbalance depending from -said carriage 'and alternately engageable with-:s'aid-actuatingarms for disengaging said latch bars fromsaidteethwhereby said rail'will '-'-moveupwardly to successivelyreversely inclined positions to cause said carriage to travel back and forth along said rail between said supports.

5. A toy comprising a pair of spaced upright supports each including a substantially vertical guideway, a substantially vertical rack adjacent each of said guideways including uniformly spaced teeth thereon, the teeth of each rack being respectively vertically staggered relative to the teeth of the other rack to lie in difierent horizontal planes, a crosshead having reciprocating engagement with each guideway, means urging said crossheads upwardly, a depending lever pivotally attached to each crosshead and including a laterally extending latch bar at its lower end successively engageable with the teeth of the associated rack, and an actuating arm extending through the associated guideway, an inverted T-shape rail loosely engaged with said crossheads and extending therebetween, a carriage including a grooved wheel in rolling contact with said rail, and a counterbalance depending from said carriage and alternately engageable with said actuating arms for disengaging said latch bars from said teeth whereby said rail will move upwardly to successively reversely inclined positions to cause said carriage to travel back and forth therealong between said supports.

6. A toy comprising a pair of spaced upright supports each including a substantially vertical guideway, a substantially vertical rack adjacent each of said guideways including uniformly spaced teeth thereon, the teeth of each rack being respectively vertically staggered relative to the teeth of the other rack to lie in different horizontal planes, a crosshead having reciprocating engagement with each guideway, means urging said crossheads upwardly, latch means depending from each crosshead and successively engageable with the adjacent teeth, a rail loosely engaged with said crossheads and extending therebetween, a carriage including a grooved Wheel in rolling contact with said rail, and a counterbalanc depending from said carriage and alternately engageable with said latch means for disengaging the latter from said teeth whereby said rail will move upwardly to successively reversely inclined positions to cause said carriage to travel back and forth along said rail between said supports.

'7. A toy comprising a pair of spaced upright supports each having a guideway, a rack adjacent each of said guideways including a plurality of teeth thereon, the teeth of each rack being respectively vertically staggered relative to the teeth of the other rack to lie in different horizontal planes, a crosshead mounted for reciprocation within each guideway, means urging said crossheads upwardly, latch means carried by each crosshead and successively engageable with the adjacent teeth, a rail loosely engaged with said crossheads and extending therebetween, and a carriage movable along said rail, said carriage having a tripping portion alternately engageable with said latch means for disengaging the latter from said teeth to release alternate ends of said rail for movement upwardly to successively reversely inclined positions to cause said carriage to travel back and forth along said rail between said supports.

8. A toy comprising a pair of spaced upright supports each having a guideway, a rack adjacent each of said guideways including a plurality of teeth thereon, the teeth of each rack being respectively vertically staggered relative to the teeth of the other rack to lie in difierent horizontal planes, a crosshead mounted for reciprocation in each guideway, latch means depending from each crosshead and successively engageable with the adjacent teeth, a rail loosely engaged with said crossheads and extending therebetween, and a carriage movable along said rail, said carriage having a tripping portion alternately engageable with said latch means for disengaging the latter from said teeth whereby said rail may move relative to said supports to successively reversely inclined positions to cause said carriage to travel back and forth therealong between said supports.

9. A toy comprising a pair of spaced upright supports, a plurality of teeth on each of said supports, the teeth on each support being respectively vertically staggered relative to the respective teeth on the other support, a crosshead movably mounted on each support, latch means on each crosshead successively engageable with the associated teeth, a transverse beam loosely engaged with said crossheads, and a carriage movable along said beam, said carriage having a tripping portion alternately engageable with said latch means for disengaging the latter from said teeth to result in movement of said beam relative to said supports to successively reversely inclined positions to cause said carriage to travel back and forth along said beam between said supports.

10. A toy comprising a pair of spaced upright supports, a plurality of teeth on each of said supports, the teeth on each support being respectively vertically staggered relative to the respective teeth on the other support, a structure including a transverse beam mounted for vertical movement between said supports, latch means adjacent each end of said beam successively engageable with the adjacent teeth, and a carriage movable along said beam, said carriage havin a tripping portion alternately engageable with each latch means for disengaging the latter from the adjacent teeth whereby said beam may move relative to said supports to successively reversely inclined positions to cause said carriage to travel back and forth therealong between said supports.

11. A toy comprising a pair of spaced upright supports, a structure including a transverse beam mounted for vertical movement between said supports, latch means connected to said structure adjacent opposite ends of said beam and releasably engaged with said supports, and a carriage movable along said beam and including a tripping portion alternately engageable with said latch means for disengaging the latter from said supports whereby said beam may move relative to said supports to successively reversely inclined positions to cause said carriage to travel by gravity back and forth therealong between said supports.

12. A toycomprising a beam, a pair of spaced upright supports each having a plurality of vertically spaced stop elements, the stop elements of each upright support being staggered relative to the respective stop elements of the other upright support whereby, when its ends are engaged with stop elements of the upright supports, said beam is inclined from the horizontal, and a wheeled figure mounted on said beam to travel therealong by gravity toward the lower end thereof and operative adjacent such end of the beam for disengaging one end thereof from the stop element with which it is engaged to release said one end of said beam for movement to a next adjacent stop element of the same upright support to reverse the inclination of said beam.

13. A toy comprising a beam, a pair of spaced upright supports each having a plurality of vertically spaced stop elements, the stop elements of each upright support being staggered relative to the respective stop elements of the other upright support whereby, when its ends are engaged with stop elements of the upright supports, said beam is inclined from the horizontal, and means for disengaging one end of said beam from the stop element with which it is engaged whereby such end of said beam is released for movement to a next adjacent stop element of the same upright support, said releasing means comprising a wheeled figure mounted on said beam for movement by gravity toward the lower end thereof and operative when it reaches a point adjacent such end of the beam for releasing said one end of the beam from the stop element with which it is engaged.

14. A toy comprising a beam, a pair of spaced upright supports each having a plurality of vertically spaced stop elements, the stop elements of each upright support being staggered relative to the respective stop elements of the other upright support whereby, when its ends are engaged with stop elements of the upright supports, said beam is inclined from the horizontal, and means, comprising a wheeled figure mounted for movement along said beam by gravity toward the lower end thereof, operative when said figure reaches approximately the lower end of said beam, for disengaging one end of said beam from the stop element with which it is engaged to release said one end of said beam for movement into engagement with a next adjacent stop element to reverse the inclination of said beam.

15. A toy comprising a beam, a pair of spaced upright supports each having a plurality of vertically spaced stop elements, the stop elements of each upright support being staggered relative to the respective stop elements of the other upright support whereby, when its ends are engaged with stop elements of the upright supports, said beam is inclined from the horizontal, each end of said beam being biased for vertical movement in one direction toward the next adjacent stop element, and means, comprising a wheeled figure mounted to roll on said beam toward the lower end thereof, for disengaging one end of said beam from the stop element with which it is engaged when said figure reaches the lower end of said beam, whereby said one end of said beam moves into engagement with the next adjacent stop element.

DANIEL C. DOZIER.

No references cited.

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